Mitochondria

In addition to their important function of regulating metabolism and energy production, mitochondria also perform other significant roles in the cell. Intracellular damage to the organelle activates signaling pathways that induce apoptosis. Despite the mitochondrion's bacterial origins and its unique chromosome, nuclear genomic DNA encodes most of the proteins essential for mitochondrial replication and function. As a result, the organelle also assists in targeting and translocating previously translated and folded proteins across its outer and inner mitochondrial membranes. These nuclear-encoded proteins regulate and mediate transport of the metabolites needed for the electron transport chain and oxidative phosphorylation, as well as ions required for maintaining the mitochondrial membrane polarization important for ATP synthesis. Cell division and autophagy-dependent organelle recycling require the biogenesis of new mitochondria, a process mediated by another set of nuclear-encoded genes controlling mitochondrial function. Mitochondrial dysfunction plays a role in several human diseases, mostly neurological disorders, but also aging, cardiac dysfunction, diabetes, and myopathy. A complete picture of mitochondrial biology requires an understanding of both its role in energy metabolism and all of its regulatory genes. ...

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In addition to their important function of regulating metabolism and energy production, mitochondria also perform other significant roles in the cell. Intracellular damage to the organelle activates signaling pathways that induce apoptosis. Despite the mitochondrion's bacterial origins and its unique chromosome, nuclear genomic DNA encodes most of the proteins essential for mitochondrial replication and function. As a result, the organelle also assists in targeting and translocating previously translated and folded proteins across its outer and inner mitochondrial membranes. These nuclear-encoded proteins regulate and mediate transport of the metabolites needed for the electron transport chain and oxidative phosphorylation, as well as ions required for maintaining the mitochondrial membrane polarization important for ATP synthesis. Cell division and autophagy-dependent organelle recycling require the biogenesis of new mitochondria, a process mediated by another set of nuclear-encoded genes controlling mitochondrial function. Mitochondrial dysfunction plays a role in several human diseases, mostly neurological disorders, but also aging, cardiac dysfunction, diabetes, and myopathy. A complete picture of mitochondrial biology requires an understanding of both its role in energy metabolism and all of its regulatory genes.